49ers preseason: Player stock watch after Week 3 loss to Vikings

The San Francisco 49ers lost a “heartbreaking” preseason matchup to the Minnesota Vikings Sunday night. Niner Noise looks over which players saw their stock rise or fall because of the contest.

On one hand, the San Francisco 49ers’ first-team units looked like a playoff-bound group during Sunday night’s preseason game versus the Minnesota Vikings.

Yet on the other, the Niners couldn’t find out a way to win, falling to the Vikings 32-31 in about as thrilling an exhibition match can be.

Week 3 of the preseason tends to be the biggest dress rehearsal for the regular season, so it’s good to know San Francisco’s starters — most of whom played the first half — outscored Minnesota 14-0 over quarters one and two.

This certainly will help a number of players’ stock rise heading towards the regular season.

On the flip side, though, other players didn’t help their cause, either to make the 53-man roster or to solidify a higher spot on the depth chart.

In this slideshow, we’ll take the latest look at the 49ers’ player stock assessment, breaking down who rose or fell during the contest.

Starting off with one bad moment from cornerback Keith Reaser.

Cornerback Keith Reaser

Earlier this offseason, cornerback Keith Reaser was a strong candidate to be the No. 2 starter with San Francisco’s first-team defense.

Now, he’s looking like a fringe player.

Reaser didn’t help his chances late in the game, committing a costly pass-interference penalty on Vikings wide receiver Stacy Coley in the end zone. It occurred with just five seconds left in regulation and the Niners clinging to a one-score lead.

The penalty gave the Vikings the ball on the 1-yard line with a chance to run one play. They did, Minnesota scored and subsequently won the game on a successful two-point conversion.

For Reaser, this latest gaffe won’t help his chances for making the 53-man roster.

Stock: Down

Linebacker Reuben Foster

Last night’s game finally gave 49ers fans a glimpse what it might be to have both linebackers NaVorro Bowman and Reuben Foster patrolling the second level of the defense.

Foster, in particular, was everywhere during his time on the field, eventually finishing the game with a team-high eight tackles — one of which was for a loss.

Better yet, a number of those tackles were of the “big hit” variety, as seen here on the first snap from scrimmage:

One of the notable things to point out was how well Foster performed in coverage. This will be a key attribute to have, taking on the starting WILL linebacker spot, and it’s good to see him working at such a high level so early.

Stock: Up

49ers Run Blocking

For the most part this season, the Niners offensive line has done a commendable job in pass protection.

San Francisco 49ers

This was the case, again, on Sunday night. San Francisco’s O-line gave up only two sacks, and the one suffered by quarterback C.J. Beathard was more a result of him holding onto the ball for a bit too long.

But run blocking has been a major issue, and it was the case once more in Minnesota.

Yes, the 49ers managed 91 rushing yards on 26 attempts — averaging 3.5 yards in the process. Yet San Francisco’s probable top-two runners, Carlos Hyde and Joe Williams, struggled to get anything going.

Hyde and Williams averaged only 2.7 and 2.3 yards per carry, respectively, on seven carries apiece.

It’s definitely not a good sign for head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, which relies so heavily on the ability to move the ball on the ground.

Left tackle Joe Staley exited the game early with a knee injury, although it seems to be little more than precautionary. And the rest of the O-line went through a number of shifts and personnel changes typical for the preseason.

Still, the lack of run blocking isn’t a good look so far.

Stock: Down

Wide Receiver Pierre Garcon

No. 1 wide receiver Pierre Garcon hadn’t been much of a factor this preseason. In fairness, San Francisco’s first-team offense hadn’t done much of anything in limited action.

But his in-game rapport with quarterback Brian Hoyer looked like the reports we’d been hearing about from training camp.

Garcon finished the night with six catches for 64 yards, many of which came on slant routes — showing the effectiveness both he and Hoyer have with head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

His 10th season in the NFL, the 31 year old looked as if he still has plenty left to offer. Paired with fellow wideout Marquise Goodwin, who had a long 46-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, San Francisco might have something of a respectable tandem at this crucial position.

If Garcon can continue to make an impact like he did Sunday night, the 49ers passing game should be in good shape.

Stock: Up

Tight End George Kittle

A week ago, rookie tight end George Kittle pushed his stock up a great deal by hauling in an impressive 29-yard catch-and-run touchdown against the Denver Broncos.

With so many questions about the 49ers’ future at tight end, that play all but guaranteed Kittle a spot on the 53-man roster and put him into the discussion whether or not he’d actually start.

Yet Week 3 of the preseason might have forced San Francisco to pump the breaks a little bit.

Kittle was absent from the stat sheet, targeted only twice and failing to come down with any catches thrown his way.

But the bigger issue was a missed block on a 3rd-and-7 play that led to a Eric Kendricks sack of quarterback Brian Hoyer.

Note Kittle, lined up in the offset to Hoyer’s left, and how the rookie doesn’t pick up the interior rush in time:

It’s not unusual for rookie tight ends to struggle in pass protection. But this will have to be a staple of Kittle’s game to ensure he remains a contender for a starting spot this season.

Stock: Down

Wide Receiver Trent Taylor

It wouldn’t be a shock to see rookie wide receiver Trent Taylor end up starting as the 49ers’ slot wideout at some point this season. Maybe not right away, but sometime.

Taylor, working primarily with the second- and third-string units, had a solid game with three receptions for 36 yards on three targets.

Not so shocking, Taylor caught everything thrown his way.

More impressive was the fact Taylor was able to make a couple of those grabs in contested spaces, even getting popped pretty hard from behind on one particular catch:

Taylor has been a nice story for San Francisco’s offense thus far, and he has certainly cemented himself a spot on the 53-man roster.

The only remaining question is whether or not he’ll be able to usurp slot receiver Jeremy Kerley for the starting job this season.

Stock: Up

Quarterback C.J. Beathard

Rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard certainly turned some heads the first two games of the preseason. He even earned some praise on NFL Network in advance of Sunday’s game:

Beathard could still be in the discussion as a possibility to start for the 49ers in 2018 after a year of grooming — an argument Niner Noise made not long ago.

But Week 3 of the preseason forced us to pump the breaks a bit.

Yes, Beathard finished 7-of-13 for 159 yards with one touchdown and an interception. But 87 of those yards came off a screen pass to running back Raheem Mostert, who found his way to the goal line.

And while the interception wasn’t exactly Beathard’s fault — wide receiver Louis Murphy had a would-be catch knocked out after he hauled it in — a good chunk of the quarterback’s throws were high and off target.

This game should serve as a reminder Beathard is still raw and needs plenty of polishing.

We can’t crown him the future under center yet.

Stock: Down

Quarterback Brian Hoyer

On the other side of the quarterbacking equation, veteran QB Brian Hoyer hadn’t made much of a dent in preseason action thus far.

Yet that all changed Sunday night, as head coach Kyle Shanahan opened up a bit more of his playbook and scheming abilities.

Hoyer did not disappoint, going 12-of-17 for 176 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 143.3 against Minnesota’s first-team defense. At one point, Hoyer completed all eight of his first passing attempts and didn’t toss an incompletion until well into the second quarter.

His first-quarter touchdown pass to wide receiver Marquise Goodwin was right on point, although Hoyer’s pass to running back Carlos Hyde in the red zone was even more impressive.

Hoyer had to fit his pass into a much tighter window, which he did with relative ease:

San Francisco’s offense looked as if it was functioning with great rhythm during the first two quarters, and Hoyer’s abilities had a lot to do with it.

Stock: Up

Running Back Joe Williams

The 49ers have an interesting situation at running back and plenty of competition.

Carlos Hyde should be the No. 1, this we know, but how the rest of the depth chart shakes out is yet to be seen.

More from Niner Noise

• 49ers 2023 NFL Draft tracker: Pick-by-pick news and analysis
• Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
• DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet 
• 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
• 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar

For a good chunk of the night, Hyde and rookie UDFA Matt Breida were the only two runners to see carries. Breida didn’t disappoint, averaging 4.1 yards on seven carries. He seems to be a safe bet to make the roster.

Fellow rookie, Joe Williams, should also appear to be a safe bet. But he hasn’t been much of a factor since Week 1 of the preseason. And he wasn’t again in Minnesota.

As noted earlier, Williams managed just 16 yards on seven carries. Granted, the Niners offensive line didn’t do him any favors. But one would hope to see Williams take advantage of going up against second- and third-string units late in games.

San Francisco likely keeps four running backs on its 53-man roster, and Williams probably winds up being one of them.

For now, though, he’s going to stay behind Breida on the depth chart.

Stock: Down

Running Back Raheem Mostert

Earlier this offseason, running back Raheem Mostert was the longest of long shots to make the 49ers regular-season roster.

Mostert had more than enough competition and was likely considered little more than an afterthought and holdover from the previous regime.

Answering to an impressive preseason effort earlier, Mostert was one of the biggest stars on San Francisco’s offense on Sunday. His 6.5 yards-per-carry average — 26 yards on four carries — led all 49ers runners. That’s good.

But even more impressive was his ability to elude would-be Vikings tacklers on an 87-yard touchdown run off a screen pass from quarterback C.J. Beathard:

Even with plays like these, guaranteeing Mostert a spot on the 53-man roster is a reach. San Francisco has a lot more invested in players like Joe Williams and Matt Breida to suddenly switch its plans.

But Mostert could easily be auditioning for a job elsewhere. Heck, he might force the Niners’ hand and make them keep him around as the No. 4 option.

Regardless, it’s nice to see him making notable contributions.

Stock: Up

Next: 49ers vs. Vikings: Preseason grades, analysis for San Francisco

Keep posted to Niner Noise for continuous preseason coverage as the 49ers prepare for Week 1 of the regular season!